J. Cole Responds to Kendrick Lamar Diss on Surprise New Album 'Might Delete Later'

The project's closing track "7 Minute Drill" takes aim at Lamar

J. Cole has some words for Kendrick Lamar.

On Friday, April 5, the rapper, 39, surprise released his new project Might Delete Later, and fans quickly noted a diss toward the "Rich Spirit" artist, 36.

On the closer “7 Minute Drill," Cole appears to respond to Lamar's takedown on his collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin’s "Like That."

“I got a phone call, they say that somebody dissing/ You want some attention, it comes with extensions,” Cole begins on the track.

Related: J. Cole Says Long-Rumored Collab Album with Kendrick Lamar Was a 'Real Thing'

The two-time Grammy winner then takes aim at Lamar's discography, hurling insults at 2022’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and calling it “tragic” and implying To Pimp a Butterfly was boring.

“He still doin’ shows, but fell off like the Simpsons/ Your first s--- was classic, your last s--- was tragic/ Your second s--- put n----- to sleep, but they gassed it/ Your third s--- was massive and that was your prime/ I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine/ Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead/ How ironic, soon as I got it, now he want somethin’ with me,” Cole fires off.

Cole then says his words are a “warning shot," promising he can take things further with the "All the Stars" musician.

“He averagin’ one hard verse like every 30 months or somethin’/ If he wasn’t dissin’, then we wouldn’t be discussin’ ’em/ Lord, don’t make me have to smoke this n---- ’cause I f--- with him/ But push come to shove, on this mic, I will humble him,” he declares.

Cole then takes aim at Lamar's lack of releases, “Four albums in 12 years, n----, I can divide.”

On the second part of the song, there's a beat switch, which fans are theorizing features a sample of Drake's "Energy" from If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.

The beef between the "She Knows" artist and Lamar can be traced back to Drake's 2023 track "First Person Shooter," where Cole referred to himself, the Canadian rapper and Lamar as the "big three" of modern rap.

"Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K. Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three, like we started a league," he rapped on the track. "We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali."

However, Lamar seemed to disagree with Cole's assertion, and when he teamed up with Future and Metro Boomin for "Like That" in March, he mentioned "First Person Shooter" and said "it's just big me," referring to Cole's line in the 2023 song.

The rap titans have teamed up on several occasions over the years, with Lamar hopping on Drake's 2011 track "Buried Alive Interlude" and Drake collaborating with Lamar for 2012's "Poetic Justice."

Cole joined forces with Lamar for 2011 singles "Temptation" and "Shock the World," and they dropped a joint number with 2015's "Black Friday."

During an appearance on Lil Yachty's A Safe Place podcast in November, Cole confirmed that his long-rumored collab album with Lamar was "a real thing" at one point.

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Related: Watch J. Cole and Danielle Fishel Finally Meet After He Rapped 'I'm Tryna Find a New Topanga' 10 Years Ago

“In a nutshell, [Lamar] had pulled up on me at No I.D.’s spot after we was already building this relationship, and I had these beats at the time and I was playing them for him,” he said.

Cole continued: “So he took them and, you know, in that moment, we talked about, ‘Yo, bro, we should do a project.’ At that time he’s not on like that, but I’m f---in’ with him."

However, timing wasn't on their side.

“At one point, it was a real thing,” he said. “But bro, time and life, we ain’t ever got the chance to go in and do it correctly, because that would take time. For us to do something that’s full of our potential, that meets our real potential, you’re gonna need time. At least a year."

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